Remodeling
Removing Popcorn Ceilings and What Goes On Instead
The removal is messy but straightforward. What matters is what is above it and what finish replaces it.
Textured ceilings date a house more visibly than almost anything else, and removing them is one of the most requested jobs we do.
Test first if the house is old enough
Textured ceiling material applied before the material was restricted may contain asbestos. If the house is old enough that it is a possibility, testing is inexpensive and it is the responsible first step. Do not scrape and find out afterwards.
The removal
Assuming it is clear to proceed, the process is straightforward but genuinely messy.
- Everything comes out of the room or gets covered. Floors, walls and any fixture that stays.
- The texture is misted with water and allowed to soften. This is the step that determines how much dust there is — dry scraping produces an enormous amount.
- Scraped off with a wide blade, working in sections.
- The ceiling is then skim-coated, because scraping leaves an uneven surface and frequently damages the paper face of the drywall.
- Sanded, primed and painted.
The skim coat is the part people underestimate. A scraped ceiling is never ready to paint, and the finish quality of the final result comes almost entirely from that stage.
What goes on instead
- Smooth. The most common request and the most demanding to execute, because a smooth ceiling shows every imperfection under raking light.
- Light knockdown or orange peel. Considerably more forgiving, and appropriate in a house where the rest of the ceilings are textured.
- Planked or shiplap ceiling, which is a different look entirely and covers a ceiling that would need a lot of work to smooth.
While the ceiling is open to work
It is the natural moment to change lighting, add or relocate a ceiling fan box, or deal with anything above the ceiling that needs attention. Doing those separately later means disturbing a finish you just paid for.
Getting it done
Call (863) 633-5499 or request a free estimate.
Frequently asked questions
Does a scraped ceiling need skim coating?
Almost always. Scraping leaves an uneven surface and frequently damages the paper face of the drywall underneath. The skim coat is what produces the finish, and a ceiling painted without one shows every mark under raking light.
Should I test a popcorn ceiling before removing it?
If the house is old enough that the material predates the restriction on asbestos in textured coatings, yes. Testing is inexpensive and it is the responsible first step. Do not scrape and find out afterwards.
Related reading
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